[okfn-za] Open data in South Africa

Mon Nov 18 12:08:18 UTC 2013

That's the longest quick note I have ever seen :)

On 18 November 2013 11:06, Murray Hunter <murray at r2k.org.za> wrote:
> A very quick note from R2K's experience - the bulk of our membership is made
> up of front-line civic organisations whose primary concern is service
> delivery, usually led by volunteer staff with low tech literacy. R2K's role
> has mainly been in matching these orgs with PAIA-savvy organisations like
> SAHA and ODAC (since they handle the direct access-to-info needs of R2K's
> constituent organisations).

My feeling is that a missing ingredient here is tech-oriented
non-profits (or socially-minded for-profits) who can bridge the gap
between data and information.

> This points to a number of challenges and shortcomings in the civil society
> environment: lack of analytic or technocratic capacity, low research skills,
> tech literacy - and, quite possibly, a vexing lack of imagination on our
> part when it comes to developing tools to mitigate all of the above. (It
> also suggests is that much of the time, PAIA just isn't the tool for the
> job, in as much as "access to information" requests are often really about
> access to process and access to decision makers - i.e. citizens don't want
> the 400-page document justifying decisions, they want the person who made
> the decisions to come down to a community hall and explain those decisions.)

I completely agree. 400 page documents need to be broken down into
bite-sized information that can help me choose a better school for my
child or lobby for better services from my municipality. Heavy
advocacy work has its place but naively, I would like to think that if
ordinary people had the right information, they could make better
decisions to improve their own lives as well as those of their
neighbours.

> All this has made me personally sceptical of easy fixes of the 'tech for
> transparency' variety - not to reject the concept out of hand, but because
> because even civil society initiatives that have managed to bridge the vast
> gap between those who have the skills and those who have the need, are still
> figuring out what the hell to do with it.

Technology, especially hi-tech, is the wrong target. It is expensive
and has limited value. It is easy to get intoxicated by whizz-bang
when a piece of paper has more value. Having said that, a light touch
with technology could increase reach and potentially have larger
impact than a non-tech approach.
>
> I'm curious to know if Ndifuna Ukwazi and SJC have had success in the past
> year?

We all are.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Adi
>
> MH
>
> Murray Hunter
>
> Right2Know Campaign
> www.r2k.org.za
> @r2kcampaign
> c: 072 672 5468
>
>
> On 18 November 2013 10:06, Justin Arenstein <justinarenstein at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> Adi,
>>
>> Hi. I think this is a crucial question, & think you should also be pinging
>> ATI / PAIA orgs like ODAC and SAHA and R2K and SAHRC, etc, directly.
>> Advocacy and policy work is obviously important, but only if citizens use
>> the results. Civil society and activists seem to be struggling to translate
>> 'ivory tower' policy work into tangible 'real world' benefits or services
>> for ordinary citizens. It would therefore be good to understand whether the
>> organisations at the forefront of ATI advocacy know of any tools / services
>> that impact on ordinary citizens in a demonstratable / measurable way.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Justin
>>
>> Justin Arenstein
>>
>> SA Mobile: +27.82.374.0812
>> US Mobile: +1.650.336.5878
>> Skype: JustinArenstein
>> Twitter: JustinArenstein
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>>
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>>
>>
>>
>> On 18 November 2013 08:46, Adi Eyal <adi at code4sa.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi All
>>>
>>> I'm looking for access to information type projects in South Africa
>>> that actually reach end-users and have impact on improving human
>>> rights, social justice issues, service delivery or other hot button
>>> issues.
>>>
>>> Transport apps and pretty visualisations are sexy but I'm looking for
>>> examples that have real impact. I am struggling a little and I was
>>> hoping for input from these mailing lists.
>>>
>>> Adi
>>>
>>> --
>>> Adi Eyal
>>> Strategy
>>> Code for South Africa
>>> Promoting informed decision-making
>>>
>>> phone: +27 78 014 2469
>>> skype: adieyalcas
>>> linkedin: http://za.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Adi/Eyal
>>> web: http://www.code4sa.org
>>> twitter: @soapsudtycoon
>>>
>>> For more information on how to participate in the open data community
>>> in South Africa, go to: http://www.code4sa.org/#community
>>>
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>
>
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-- 
Adi Eyal
Director
Code for South Africa
Promoting informed decision-making

phone: +27 78 014 2469
skype: adieyalcas
linkedin: http://za.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Adi/Eyal
web: http://www.code4sa.org
twitter: @soapsudtycoon

For more information on how to participate in the open data community
in South Africa, go to: http://www.code4sa.org/#community